


Falling

by flashytonystark



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Marvel Cinematic Universe RPF, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst, Angst and Tragedy, Canon Dialogue, Dialogue Light, Extremis, Extremis Pepper Potts, F/M, Inner Dialogue, Iron Man 3, Iron Man 3 Spoilers, Missing Scene, Pepper Potts Feels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-03
Updated: 2018-04-03
Packaged: 2019-04-17 19:06:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 866
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14195736
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flashytonystark/pseuds/flashytonystark
Summary: “Just look at me! Honey, I can’t reach any further and you can’t stay there, all right? You’ve got to let go. You’ve got to let go! I’ll catch you, I promise!”





	Falling

**Author's Note:**

> I've wanted to write this for so long and I'm so glad I finally got around to doing so.
> 
> I don't have a beta, so please forgive any and all mistakes you may find––I try my best to find and fix any errors, but I may miss one or two.
> 
> As with all of my work, I appreciate kudos, comments, and any helpful constructive criticism! 
> 
> Enjoy!

The blood had begun rushing to Pepper’s head, her heart hammering so loud in her ears she almost didn’t hear Tony call out to her, his voice trying to keep her calm.

Her head was pounding, pounding, pounding, yet she somehow found it within her to open her eyes, to focus on Tony as he stood below her. He was reaching out to her, his fingertips seeking her own with a sense of urgency.

The sound of creaking metal caused her to shriek and squeeze her eyes shut, the grip she held on the metal bar loosening. Her palms were slick with perspiration and even Pepper knew she wouldn’t be able to hold on much longer. What would happen when she could no longer keep her hand wrapped around the metal, when the bars pinning her in place shifted just enough to free her?

“Pepper!”

There was another sickening creak and shift of metal on metal, Pepper's screams almost drowning out Tony's words.

“Pep, I got you. Relax, I got you!”

With a terrified look in her eyes, Pepper looked down, giving Tony the best nod she could muster, and reached out with her free hand toward his own. A sickening feeling filled her stomach when her hand brushed nothing but the air; Tony was so close, and yet so far at the same time.

There was fear in Tony’s eyes too, Pepper could see it, even as she hung suspended in the air. Fear and terror and worry had etched itself into Tony’s perfect features, aging him years in only a few short minutes. His outstretched hand was shaking, the knuckles of his other hand white hot around the bar he held onto for balance. He was trying so, so hard to get to her, yet neither of them could reach.

Hot tears pricked at her own eyes as words left unsaid crowded her mind, her mouth unable to form even the simplest of them.

 _I love you. I’m sorry. It’ll be okay._  
_I love you. I’m sorry. It’ll be okay.  
_ _I love you. I’m sorry. It’ll be okay._

“Just look at me! Honey, I can’t reach any further and you can’t stay there, all right? You’ve got to let go. You’ve got to let go! I’ll catch you, I promise!”

He wanted her to let go, but she couldn’t… could she? Tony had never given her a reason not to trust him, had always been honest with her, made sure she was safe and out of harm’s way. He’d told her once that he didn’t give a damn about anything except her––not the suits, not his company, just her. There was a time he’d almost lost her due to his stupidity and he promised her then on a rooftop that he’d never let it happen again.

There was no reason for him not to keep his promises now.

The look on Tony’s face told her everything she needed to know in that moment. He was there, ready to catch her the moment she _finally_ decided to let go of the metal bar. They were a few inches closer to each other now, caused by the shifting metal, and she could almost, _almost,_ reach his hand. She just needed to let go, to trust that Tony would keep his promises like he’d gotten so good at doing.

He _would_ catch her.

Pepper nodded at Tony, the blood still hammering hard against her eardrums. She would count to three and then let go. In three seconds she would no longer be suspended in midair, hanging upside-down and moments away from falling to her death. In three seconds, she'd be safe and wrapped in the arms of the man she loved with a fierceness not even she could describe.

_You can do this, Pepper. Tony is right there, he’ll catch you, he promised to catch you. Just let go._

_One… Two... Th––_

“NO!”

She felt the metal give way as a strong gust of wind came through, catching both herself and Tony off guard. The metal keeping her in place shifted before she was ready and her grip on the bar finally gave out. Without warning, she was falling fast––too fast––toward the fiery ground below.

Tony’s hand––she was almost certain she'd felt his hand brush hers, just moments too late, his fingers grasping desperately for hers.

This was it, this was the end. She could feel the finality of it somewhere deep in her bones, and she closed her eyes. A flood of memories rushed in, Tony being at the forefront of most.

 _I forgive you_ , she thought to herself, knowing the guilt Tony would be wracked with. He hadn’t dropped her, he hadn’t broken his promise to her––she’d simply been unable to hold on any longer. It wasn't his fault, but how would she be able to tell him, to reassure him that he'd done everything he could?

She let out one final scream with Tony’s name on her lips, the noise drowned out by the sounds of explosions around her.

She was falling.

Falling.

Falling.

In those last seconds, she wondered if she’d feel her final impact with the earth.


End file.
